The present invention relates to improvements in the treatment of burns.
Thermal injuries require a unique combination of therapy and dressing as the physiologic functions of the skin are absent or, at best, materially impaired. Various proposals have been made to provide a film or protective barrier to the involved lesion including generally providing polymer compositions capable of forming in situ pinhole-free, mechanically strong, translucent or transparent or opaque, non-tacky dressing. Typically, such procedures include application of a normally liquid organic vehicle to the affected area followed by or simultaneously with a powdery hydrophilic polymer. The bandage or dressing thus being formed is a plastic film of hydrophilic polymer solvated into the liquid organic vehicle. Notwithstanding clinical acceptance of such dressing and technique, clinicians reported that the film set-up time, i.e., that amount of time from when the organic vehicle and hydrophilic polymer come into contact until the desired film burn dressing is achieved, was in many cases excessive, often taking as long as one hour, or longer. The set-up time is inconvenient, often painful, to the patient who must maintain the treated area in immobile condition. This is particularly true in instances of larger burn wounds.